Delayed injuries are common after car accidents. Immediately after the collision, you may feel uninjured and believe that you do not need medical attention. In the days following the accident, however, you may begin to experience worsening pain, weakness, and other symptoms that indicate a serious medical condition.
Obtaining compensation for delayed serious injuries can be complex, but you can still secure a settlement with an Augusta personal injury lawyer. The actions you take immediately after the accident will impact your ability to recover an award.
Common Types of Delayed Car Accident Injuries
Some forms of damage are immediately apparent after a collision, such as broken bones, cuts, bruises, and scrape. However, some injuries do not appear for hours, days, or even weeks following the accident. These are known as delayed injuries.
Common types of delayed car accident injuries include the following.
Whiplash, strains, and other forms of soft tissue damage
Spinal stenosis and other spinal cord injuries
Concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries
Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
Sciatica and severe pain in the back, neck, hips, and legs
There are many reasons why delayed injury symptoms may not appear until later on. The shock and adrenaline you feel after the accident may numb the pain, and you may not realize that you are injured until the hormones wear off. Unseen injuries, like organ damage, often do not show symptoms until they have advanced.
After a car accident, it is crucial to receive medical attention, even if you do not feel hurt. Without prompt medical attention, delayed injuries can be extremely severe, result in life-altering complications, and may even be fatal.
How to Protect Your Right to Compensation
Georgia is a fault accident state, meaning that drivers who cause accidents must pay for their victims’ damages. Typically, people injured in Georgia collisions file an insurance claim or lawsuit to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses.
After a collision, it is common to want to talk to the other drivers and see if everyone is safe. However, it is also very important to be careful while speaking with other people after the accident. If you make a statement about your injuries, such as saying that you are not hurt, this information could be used against you in your future claim.
The other parties involved in the accident may state that you claimed that you were not hurt after the accident. If your delayed injuries show symptoms later on and you file a claim, the insurance company may use this information as evidence that you are being untruthful. To protect your claim, do not make any statements about your injuries or how the accident occurred.
Not only is it important to seek medical care so that you can treat your injuries, but your medical records will also serve as foundational evidence in your case. If you fail to seek treatment after the accident, the insurance company may use that information as evidence of your injuries not being serious. As a result, the company may reduce or even deny your award.
If you seek medical attention immediately after the collision, the insurance company will not have the information to use against you. You will also receive valuable medical records that you can use to support your case.
To protect your right to compensation, always visit a doctor after an accident. Once you receive medical attention, contact an Augusta car accident lawyer to discuss your case and strategize your optimal path to compensation.
